NEWS
USCIS Resumes Premium Processing for H-1B Petitions Filed on or before Dec. 21, 2018
USCIS announced late Friday (2/15/2019) that it would resume premium processing on Tuesday, Feb. 19, for all H-1B petitions filed on or before Dec. 21, 2018. This means change of employer petitions filed after this date, or immediately will not [...]
USCIS to Publish Revised Form I-539 and New Form I-539A
USCIS has revised Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status and will publish the revised form on their website on March 11, 2019. Beginning March 11, 2019, USCIS will only accept the revised Form I-539 with an edition date of [...]
USCIS Now Accepting Copies of Negative P Visa Consultations Directly from Labor Unions
Effective immediately, USCIS will begin accepting copies of negative consultation letters directly from labor unions relating to a current or future P nonimmigrant visa petition. A consultation letter from a U.S. labor organization is generally required for petitions in the [...]
H-1B CAP 2019 – Are You Ready?
Join us for a free webinar on February 22, 2019 12pm-1pm EST. Register Now The idea behind this webinar is to harness the valuable experience learned from processing H-1Bs from prior years and how various RFEs have created a valuable [...]
DHS Announces Final Rule for a More Effective and Efficient H-1B Visa Program
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) posted today for public inspection, a final rule amending regulations governing H-1B cap-subject petitions, including those that may be eligible for the advanced degree exemption. The final rule reverses the order by which USCIS [...]
USCIS Makes Two More Applications Available for Online Filing
USCIS announced today that applicants can now complete and file Form N-600, Application for Certificate of Citizenship, and Form N-600K, Application for Citizenship and Issuance of Certificate Under Section 322 online. Applicants can file Form N-600 to obtain a Certificate [...]
DHS Proposes Changes to the H-1B Visa Lottery Process
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has completed review of the H-1B proposed regulation as of January 25, 2019. It must be published in the Federal Register before the rule can go into effect. We will post any updates [...]
USCIS Resumes Premium Processing for Fiscal Year 2019 H-1B Cap Petitions
Alert: USCIS will resume premium processing on Monday, Jan. 28 for all fiscal year (FY) 2019 H-1B cap petitions, including those eligible for the advanced degree exemption (the “master’s cap”). The previously announced temporary suspension of premium processing remains in [...]
USCIS Adjustment of Status Filing Dates for February 2019
USCIS determined that for February 2019, the Dates for Filing chart must be used for family-based preference filings and the Final Action Dates chart must be used for employment-based preference filings.
USCIS launches new online fee calculator to help avoid incorrect payments
USCIS has launched a new Online Fee Calculator to assist members of the public in calculating the correct fee amount to include when filing their forms with USCIS at an agency lockbox facility. A list of forms processed at USCIS [...]
H-1B CAP & USCIS’ New Registration Process – What You Need to Know!
Introduction: On December 3, 2018, USCIS-DHS, published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to change the H-1B filing and random selection (read lottery) process. The new process will require employer’s to electronically register to file each prospective petition for their [...]
ALERT – LCA system Down
LCA and PERM Prevailing Wages Processing to Resume Tentatively at 2:00 p.m. EST on MONDAY, JANUARY 7, 2019 Last night, the DOL announced that: The iCERT system for application processing is tentatively scheduled to open at 2:00 p.m. EST [...]
ALERT – LCA system Down – iCERT Portal System is currently unavailable
Updated January 3, 2019, 10:40 AM EST Within first five minutes of opening the semi-annual H-2B certification process on January 1, 2019, the U.S. Department of Labor iCERT system had an unprecedented demand for H-2B certifications with more than [...]
Update on USCIS Practice of Denying Pending Forms I-131 for Abandonment Due to International Travel
USCIS recently updated its website with information regarding the agency's practice of denying pending Form I-131 advance parole applications for abandonment due to international travel. Specifically, USCIS indicates on its website that if an applicant files Form I-131, Application for [...]
AAO Appeal Adjudications statistics FY 2014 – 2018
When adjudicating an appeal on the merits, the AAO generally sustains (approves), dismisses (denies), or remands (returns) the appeal. USCIS posts AAO appeal statistics report from FY 2014-2018.
USCIS Offices Closed Wednesday December 5
All USCIS offices will be closed Wednesday to Dec. 5, a national day of mourning to remember the life and legacy of George H.W. Bush, the 41st president of the United States. USCIS will reschedule all naturalization ceremonies, interviews, and appointments [...]
USCIS Offices Will Remain Closed on December 5th, Interviews Rescheduled
In honor of and to mark the passing of President Bush (41), the USCIS field office in Hartford, CT will remain closed on Wednesday, December 5th. Additionally, our Office has been receiving calls from field offices in other parts of [...]
DHS Proposes Merit-Based Rule for More Effective and Efficient H-1B Visa Program
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced a notice of proposed rulemaking that would require petitioners seeking to file H-1B cap-subject petitions to first electronically register with USCIS during a designated registration period. Under the proposed rule, USCIS would also [...]
Registration Requirement for Petitioners Seeking To File H-1B Petitions on Behalf of Cap-Subject Aliens
The Department of Homeland Security is proposing to amend its regulations governing petitions filed on behalf of H-1B beneficiaries who may be counted toward the 65,000 visa cap established under the Immigration and Nationality Act (“H-1B regular cap”) or beneficiaries with [...]